The US National Security Advisor, Gen. McMaster said that president Donald Trump would discuss the issue of sending more troops to Afghanistan with partners at the upcoming NATO and G7 meetings.
Addressing a press conference, the U.S. President’s National Security Advisor, McMaster said that Donald Trump has still remained undecided on deployment of additional troops to Afghanistan.
He said that U.S. President Donald Trump would have the opportunity to hear from allies during his upcoming foreign trip, which would include stops at the NATO summit and the gathering of G7 nations.
“The president wants to hear from our allies as well. This is a president who listens to his allies and partners. Here is an opportunity for a much more effective strategy for the problems set in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the region more broadly,” McMaster said.
He said however that the U.S had been involved in “very successful” operations in Afghanistan against Daesh in recent weeks.
Gen. McMaster and James Mattis, the U.S. secretary of defense also called sending more troops to Afghanistan a good option.
McMaster said supporting Afghanistan’s army in fighting terror was one of the U.S. responsibilities.
Last week, U.S. media have reported that the US senior security officials have recommended Trump to send 3000 to 5000 troops to Afghanistan.
This is while that the US national intelligence agency officials have warned on worsening security and political situation in Afghanistan in 2018.
At the same time, according to The Kabul Times, a number of lawmakers and experts while expressing concern on continued insecurities in the country stressed that Afghanistan is still a victim of terrorism. Thus, long-term US and its allies’ support to Afghanistan is an urgent need, they added.
A lawmaker, Hashimi said, “Afghanistan is among those countries where has always been affected by terrorism. Therefore, NATO particularly the US should continue supporting Afghanistan, because, the Afghan security forces are still facing serious challenges in term of military equipment.”
At the same time, a number of citizens believe that the US should further focus on terrorists’ hideouts and their foreign supporters in its new strategy on Afghan war. A high school teacher, Malalai believes that if investment is made on the Afghan security forces, there would be no need for foreign forces’ presence in the country, because the ANSF are not as they were ten years ago, and they can now defend their people and country at any condition. Fourteen years had passed since presence of the international forces in Afghanistan, but still the country is faced with insecurities in a number of provinces. Now, the US new government policy on Afghanistan is expected to positively affect the security situation in the country.
